Apparatus for the electrical long-distance control of the valve-gear of a hydraulic gun-pointing gear



W. AKEMANN. APPARATUS FOR THE ELECTRICAL LONG DISTANCE CONTROL OF THE VALVE GEAR OF A HYDRAULIC GUN POINTING GEAR.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. I9, I920- 1,394,520. Patented Oct. 25, 1921.

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W. AKEMANN. APPARATUS FOR THE ELECTR|CAL LONG DISTANCE CONTROL OF THE VALVE GEAR OF A HYDRAULIC GUN POINTING GEAR. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 19, 1920.

1,394,520, Patented Oct. 25, 1921.

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APPLICATION FILED NOV. 19, 1920;

,520. Patented Oct. 25, 1921.

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WALTHER .AKEMANN, 0F ESSEN, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO FRIED. KRUI'P AK'IIEN- GESELLSCHAFT, OF ESSEN-ON-THE-RUHR, GERMANY.

APPARATUS FOR THE ELECTRICAL LONG-DISTANCE CONTROL OF THE VALVE-GEAR 0]! A. HYDRAULIC GUN-POINTING GEAR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 25, 1921.

Application filed November 19, 1920. Serial No. 425,105.

To all whom it may concem;

Be it' known that I, WALTHER AKEMANN, residing at 61 Tringardstrasse, Essen, Germany, a citizen of the German Republic, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for the Electrical Long-Distance Control of the Valve-Gear of a Hydraulic Gun-Pointing Gear, (for which I have filed application in Germany, filed December 4, 1916,) of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to such an arrangement for the electrical long distance control of the valve gear of a hydraulic gun pointing gear, which enables a particularly accurate adjustment of the gun barrel to be obtained. The invention is especially advantageous when the forces which are necessary to move the controlling valve are comparatively great.

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings which show diagrammatically a construction of a hydraulic elevating mechanism adjustable by means of an electrical long distance control according to the present invention.

Figure 1 shows the general arrangement of the apparatus,

Fig. 2 is a detail view of certain parts on a larger scale, and

Fig. 3 is another detail in vertical section.

Whereas in a similar arrangement, as described in my Patent No. 1,375,269, the receiving motor G acts directly on the gear inclosed in the casing F and termed as stroke apparatus and performs the whole of the work necessary for the movement of the valve gear and the stroke apparatus, in the present-invention this motor serves merely in the present arrangement to operate certain parts of a circuit closing device M, N, P, Q (see Figs. 1 and 2). This circuit closing device M, N, P, Q, is provided for. the purpose of switching in or out of circuit, by means of an automatic switch device contained in a casing R (see particularly Fig. 3) firstly a special controlling motor S, which cooperates with the stroke apparatus contained in the casing F and secondly of switching into or out of circuit the magnet coils b and c of the cut of? devices B and C.

A denotes the barrel of a naval gun which is mounted by means of its trunnions in a mounting A In order that the elevation istructed in the form of valves.

D- adapted to be operated by hand and which.

is provided with a pipe for water under pressure and a pipe for exhausting the water and also with a hand wheel with which to operate it. The slide-valves of the cut-off devices B and C are held in their closed positions by springs and can be drawn into their open positions against the pressure of these springs by means of magnet cores, which are rigidly connected to the slidevalves and can be acted on by electrically excitable windings b and c Pipes 1) and 0 connect the cut-0E devices B and C with the casing of a controlling slide-valve adapted for long distance control E, which is provided with a pipe 6 for admitting water under pressure and a pipe 6 for exhausting the water.

The movable partof the controlling valve E consists of a piston rod provided with three controlling pistons rigidly mounted thereon and the free end of which terminates in a rack in a similar way as described in my Patent No. 1,375,269. Into the rack gears a toothed sector, which forms part of a gearing, which is contained in a casing F. The said gearing is for the purpose of ren: dering the movements of the piston rod of the controlling valve E on the one hand dependent on the receiver motor G of an electrical long distance controlling apparatus and on the other hand dependent on the gun barrel A.

The long distance controlling apparatus has a transmitter H (see Fig. 1) which is set up at the observing station and which is variable strength. These three deph sed currents of variable strength are sup lied by a three-phase long distance conductor 5 to the receiver G, which is constructed as a synchronous motor and receives its continuous current excitation from a local main K.

The transmitter H is adjusted by a milled head and a hand wheel which act upon a sun and planet gearin the manner illustrated in Fig. 1 of the accompanying-drawings. The adjusting apparatus, which is adapted to be rotated by the milled head, is provided with a reading off apparatus, which indicates the adjusted range of the target and is used when the transmitter H is to have a rotation imparted to it which corresponds to the range of the target. The adjusting apparatus which is adapted to be rotated by means of the hand wheel is positively connected to a sighting telescope which oscillates about a horizontal axis and is used when it is required to eliminate the influence of an oblique position of the ship (caused for example by pitching or rolling) on the elevation imparted to the gun barrel in respect to a horizontal plane.

The gearing which is adapted to connect the piston rod of the controlling slide-valve to the receiver motor G and to the gun barrel A and which is substantially inclosed in the casing F corresponds in all parts to the device described in my Patent No. 1,375,269 so that it need not be explained largely.

The shaft a which is positively connected to the toothed sector 00 of the gun barrel A is prolonged beyond the bevel wheel a and (see particularly Fig. 2) is provided with another bevel wheel a" and also a worm a The bevel wheel a gears with a bevel wheel a, which serves to drive by means of another pair of bevel wheels a spur wheel a, which latter gears into the toothed outer edge m of a revoluble disk M, which is provided with two circuit closing devices m and m constructed in the form of annular sectors. A revolving disk N provided in a corresponding manner with circuit closing devices 7:? and n gears with its toothed edge n with the worm a mounted on the shaft a About the axes of the disks M and N rotate wheels -P and Q, which are each rigidly connected to circuit closing devices 19 and g respectively of pointer shape and constructed as rubbing brushes.

These circuit closing devices p and g are for the purpose of coming into contact with the circuit closing devices m or m and n or n by sliding thereon. The wheels P and Q, are driven by the receiver G, the shaft 9 of which is positively connected by a toothed wheel gearing g 9 g, p and a worm gear 9 o with the wheels P and Q respectively. The ratio of transmissionlbetween the shaft a and the toothed disk M is just as great as the ratio of transmission between the shaft 9 and the spur wheel P. The ratio of transmission between the shaft a and the disk N on the one hand and be tween the shaft 9 and the wheel Q on the other hand is likewise equal. On the other hand the ratios of transmission of the driving gear of the circuit closing devices M and P p are considerably greater than the ratios of transmission of the driving gear of the circuit closing devices N and Q 9 The arrangement is also so constructed that the total range of adjustment of the receiver G and the gun barrel A in one direction or the other is corresponded to by apthe pointer 9 reaches one of the two circuit closing devices 11? or a and does not quit it until the pointer g has come into contact with its circuit closing device 11? or n The circuit closing devices m m and p and also 11?, n and g are connected by conductors r r 7 and 1", 1' 1' with the automatic switch device for the controlling motor S contained in the casing R. The field winding of the motor S is excited through con-- ductors k is" off the mains K. From these conductors branch off conductors r, 7' which serve to supply current to both the controlling and working circuits of the switch device, which latter is connected by conductors r r to the armature of the controlling motor S. In addition to this'the magnet coils b and c (which are connected up in parallel) of the cut off devices B and C (see Fig. l) are connected by conductors r and r to the switch device and across a switch K to the local main K.

The switch device contained in the casing R (see particularly Fig. 3) contains five switch shuttles T, U, W, Y and provided with magnet coils t a w y and z and on the inutual position of the said shuttles it depends whether the motor S rotates in one direction or the other or is stationary and whether the circuit which contains the ma net coils b and 0* of the cut-off devices and C in parallel is broken by the shuttles or not. The magnet coils t u ,w 12 and 2 of to the conductors 1' and 1" which are themselves connected to the local main K in the manner shown in the drawing. The shuttle T is provided with five circuit closing disks t t t, t t, of which the first two, If and t when in their upper position and the three last, t, t and it when in the lowered position are each adapted to bridge over a gap. The gaps which can be bridged over by the circuit closing disks t i t and 25 line in the line of the conductors r and T leading to the armature of the motor S.

The shuttles U, W, Y and Z which are all similar are each provided with two circuit closin disks 11?, u wF, e0 g g and 2 2 of which the first ones 11, w- '3 and 2 are adapted to bridge over a gap in the armature circuit of the motor S both when in the lowered and raised position of the shuttle, while the second ones u cu y and 2 are adapted to bridge over a gap when the shuttle is in the raised position the said gaps being located in the circuit which contains the conductors 1' and r tand the magnet coils b and c of the cut-off devices B and C. The circuit closing devices which are touched by the disks 14 ,40 g and 2 when the shuttles U, W, Y and Z are in the raised position are also connected up in parallel in pairs in the manner shown in the drawing, so that when the switch K is closed (see Fig. l) the lifting of a single one of the shuttles U, W, Y or Z is suiiicient to excite both magnet coils?) and a simultaneously.

The general arrangementof the apparatus is also so designed in the manner shown in the drawing, that when the shuttles U and W and also Y and Z are in the lowered position the current which proceeds from the local main K through the conductor a finds the way to the conductor r leading back to the local main K interrupted, no matter whether the shuttle T is in the lowered or the raised position. On the other hand the said circuit connected to the local main K and containing the conductors r r r r and the motor S, is closed every time when one of the shuttles U and W or Y and Z is in the raised and the other in the lowered position. Finally the gap which is situated in the shuttle T and can be closed by the circuit closing device It* and lies in the line of the conductor 1' leading to the pointer 2 is closed, when the shuttle T is in the dropped position.

In order to facilitate the explanation of the working of the apparatus let-it be assumed that the several parts of the same are in the position shown in the drawing'and a different adjustment is to be imparted to the gun barrel A by means of long distance controlling apparatus.

For this purpose the switch K is first closed and then the transmitter H and with it also the corresponding receiver G rotated to correspond to the desired different adjustment. The movement of the transmitter vice m first when the distance between the circuit closing devices is 'of the magnitude stated and thereby closes the following circuit-K 1' t r p m r 3 r k so that the winding g 'is excited and the shuttle Y is raised. At the same time the exciting circuit for the magnet coils b and 0 connected up in parallel is closed across the circuit closing disk y so that the cutoff devices B and C open simultaneously. At the same time the following circuit is made by the circuit closing disk 1 ;K k, r 2 t 1' S r t 1 r k K. The motor S therefore starts and opens through. the medium of the stroke .apparatus contained in the casing F the controlling valve E.

The opening movement of the controlling valve E may at the same time take place in such a direction that the piston rod rises and consequently water under pressure passes through the pipes e 0 the opened cut-oil device C and the force pipe a and imparts the desired movement to the gun barrel. At the same time the shaft a is set in rotation by the toothed sector a which moves with the barrel A.

In the meantime the pointer g has also reached the corresponding circuit closing device n and now continues to slide on this latter until the receiving motor G comes to a standstill. As soon as the circuit closing device (1 and n touch each other, a controlling circuitK is" W u r n g 1' t r k K, which contains the magnet coils t and 41. of the shuttles T and U is closed, so'that the shuttles T and U move into their raised positions. The results of this are firstly that the current flowing over the circuit closing disk t and the conductor 1' to the pointer 79 and from this latter. over the circuit closing device m to the magnet coil y is broken, so that the shuttle Y returns to its lowered position, secondly the working circuit hitherto closed across the circuit closing disks t and t is interrupted and a new working circuit-K 7' 'u 2 t 1' S 1 t u 1' Ia -K containing the circuit closing disks t and t is closed without the direction of rotation of the motor S altering, and thirdly the exciting circuit for the magnet coils b and c is now no longer closed through the circuit closing disk butby the circuit closing disk 14 The cut-ofi devices B and C consequently remain opened. The sole difference is that owing to the interruption of the controlling circuit leading across the pointer 32 and the circuit closing disk t only the circuit closing device Q, N is now effective.

The pointer p can therefore make one or even several complete revolutions, without the switch device R and the motor S being acted upon thereby. Only when in consequence of the continued movement of the barrel A and the shaft a the disk N has hastened after the disk Q to such a degree that the circuit closing devices 9 and n no longer touch each other, does any change take place of,the hitherto existent state of resistance. The magnet coils t and anext become devoid of current and the shuttles T and U pass back into the dropped positions. At the same time the pointer-p which in the meantime has again moved into contact with the circuit closing device of, lifts the shuttle Y again. Thus with regard to the arrangement of connections R the same state of affairs is restored which existed at the beginning of the running of the motor S, when the pointer p moved into contact with the circuit closing device wa for the first time. As soon as the gun barrel A has moved the disk M so far after the spur wheel P that the. pointer 79 quits the circuit closing device m the shuttle Y returns to its lowered position and the various parts of the arrangement are in their original positions from which the description of the working of the apparatus was begun i. e. that all the shuttles are in their lowered positions and consequently all the working and controlling circuits are broken. The cut-off devices B and C therefore close, and both the gun barrel A and the motor S remain stationary.

As under these conditions the armature of the controlling motor S is short circuited on itself across 1' t .2 g t 1"", it acts as a brake, and the motor S is brought to a standstill almost instantly, and so the adjusting operation comes to an end. As at the conclusion of the adjusting operation the angular position of the circuit closing disks M and N positively connected to the un barrel A is the same with respect to t e pointers p and g driven by the receiver" G as at the beginning of the adjusting operation, it is clear that the gun barrel A and the receiver have been rotated through the same angle in the operations described. The gun barrel A has consequently taken part in a movement which is the same as the movement of the transmitter H.

It requires no special explanation to see that the operation above described would take place in exactly the same manner but with all the parts concerned moving in the opposite direction of the transmitter H and consequently the receiver motor G receives an adjusting movement" in the opposite direction. The arrangement with the separate receiving and CODtIOlliHg motor has as and not the controllin alread stated the advantage compared with t 1e arrangement which forms the subject matter of my Patent No. 1,37 5,269 that the receiving motor has only to actuate the disks P and Q of the circuit closing device valve E. It is therefore possible, .even in the case of comparatively powerful forces necessary to move the controlling valve to use a comparatively small receiving motor. Since this latter has only to develop a small turning moment, the dimensions of the transmitter H and the long distance conductor J may be kept very small.

, nstead of a single transmitter H embrac in the entire range of adjustment and a single receiver for driving the circuit closing devices P and Q two transmitters and two receivers each constructed according to the coarse and fine system may be used. At the same time each of the two receivers which are mechanically independent of each other will have the driving of one of the two circuit closin devices assigned to it.

Without departln from the spirit of the invention, the doube circuit closin device consisting of the parts M P and N 6 might also be replaced by a single circuit closing device controlling the entire range of adjustment of the receiving motor G, which would result in a corresponding simplification of the switch apparatusR. The advantage of the apparatus described is however that a very high degree of accuracy can be obtained even with disks of moderate diameter, whereas the same accuracy would require disks of a very large diameter were a single circuit closing device to be used.

Of course instead of a single controlling motor'S two motors may be used, of which the one is controlled by the circuit closing device M P and the other by the circuit closing device N Q. The connection of the two motors with the one driving shaft of the stroke apparatus contained in the casing F might in this case be effected bya sun and planet gear, the middle wheels of which are driven from one of the two motors, while the planet wheel sets the said driving shaft in rotation.

Claims:

1. An electrical long distance control ap- I ing a slide valve, a pair of quick acting valves, a stroke apparatus for controlling said slide valve, a circuit closing device, said with a gun of a sighting device, an electri-' cal distance control comprising a transmitter and a receiver connected for synchronous operation, a hydraulic gun pointing mechanism, means including a system of valves for supplyin a hydraulic medium to said hydraulic meslianism, said system of valves including a controlling valve and cut off devices, a circuit closing device compris- 1ng relatively movable contacts, one set of contacts being connected to and operated by the gun, the other set being connected to.and operated by said receiver, an automatic switch electrically connected to said circuit closing device, a controlling motor electrically connected to said automatic switch,

means operatively connecting said motor to said control valve and means operatively connecting said cut 05 devices to said automatic switch.

3. An apparatus for the electrical long distance'control of the valve gear of a hydraulic gun pointing mechanism, comprising a gun, a sighting device, a transmitter connected to said sighting device, a receiver electrically connected to said transmitter for synchronous operation therewith, a hydraulic gun pointing mechanism, means for supplying a hydraulic fluid to said hydraulic mechanism, a control valve and two cut-off devices for controlling said hydraulic fluid, a circuit closing device, said circuit closing device comprising two sets of contacts, one contact from each set being connected to and operated by said gun,'the other contact of each set being connected to and operated by said receiver, one set of contacts operating at a greater ratio of speed than the other, a controlling motor, means operatively connecting said controlling motor to said slide valve, means connecting said slide valve to said gun, an automatic switch electrically interposed between said circuit closing device and said motor, the connection between said automatic switch and one of said sets of contacts of the circuit closing device being such that the circuit between the two is interrupted by a circuit established between the other set of contact pieces and said switch.

a. apparatus for the electrical long distance-control of a hydraulic mechanism comprising the combination with a gun of a sighting device, a transmitter connected thereto, a receiver electrically connected to said transmitter for synchronous operation therewith, a hydraulic mechanism, means for supplying the hydraulic fluids to said mechanism, valves for controlling said hydraulic fiuid comprising a slide valve and a pair of cut oil devices, a circuit closing device comprising two sets of contacts, an automatic switch electrically connected to said circuit closing device, said automatic switch comprising a multiplicity of switch shuttles, a controlling motor electrically connected to said circuit closing device through said automatic switch, a source of current connected to said motor and automatic switch, means connecting said switch to said cut-off devices for controlling the same, said automatic switch controlling said'motor for causing it to rotate in either direction, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. An apparatus forthe electrical long distance control of a hydraulic mechanism comprising the combination of a gun with a sighting device, a transmitter connected thereto, a receiver electrically connected to said transmitter for synchronous operation therewith, a hydraulic gun pointing mechanism, means for supplying a hydraulic fluid to said hydraulic mechanism, a slide valve and two cut-off devicesifor controlling said hydraulic fiuid, a circuit closing device, said circuit closing device comprising two sets of cooperating contacts, one contact from each set being operatively connected to the gun barrel, the'other contact of each set being operatively connected to said receiver, an automatic switch electrically connected to the contacts of said circuit closing device, a controlling motor electrically connected to and controlled by said automatic swltch, means including a stroke apparatus for connecting said slide valve to sand controlling motor, means connecting said automatic switch to said cut-ofl devices, said automatic switch controlling the direction of rotation of said controlling motor and said automat c switch tending further to short-circuit said motor so as to cause the same to act as a brake.

6. An apparatus for the electrical long distance control of a valve gear of a hydraul1c gun pointing mechanism comprlsing a gun, a sighting device, a transmitter connected to said sighting device, a receiver electrically connected to said transmitter for synchronous operation therewith, a hydraullc gun pointin mechanism, means for supplying a hydrau ic medium to said hydraulic mechanism, a sliding control valve and two cut-oii devices interposed into said supply means for controlling; said hydraulic medium, a-

device comprising two sets of contact devices, each set of contact devices cooperating with one another, one contact device from each set being connected to and operated by the gun barrel, the other contact device of each set being connected to and operated by said receiver, one set of contact devices having a greater ratio of rotation than the other, an automatic switch electrically connected to said circuit closing device, said circuit closing device comprising a -multiplicity of magnetically operated switch shuttles, a control motor electrically connected to said automatic switch, an electrical circuit connecting said automatic switch to said cut-ofi' devices whereby said cut-ofi devices may be electrically operated, the circuit between said automatic switch and controlling motor being so controlled by said automatic switch that the direction of rotation of motor may be varied, the operation of said circuit closing device controlling the switch shuttles of said automatic switch, substantially as described.

The foregoing specification signed at Essen, Germany, this 25th day of June, 1920.

DR. WALTHER AKEMANN. In presence of HANs GoT'rsMANN, J OSEF OLBERTZ. 

